This project involved creating a 3D sculpture expressing an idea and exploring the materiality of either; rubber, glass, timber, stone, plastic or metal. For each one I made a small mind map of both the quantitative perspectives and qualitative perspectives, this also included the materials characteristics and performance. I decided to go with plastic because I was intrigued by the flexibility, resistance to water and electricity. It is also generally light weight and strong which can be moulded into any shape or size.
I looked at a few different artists/sculptures to help spark my imagination and design flair. I researched Do Ho Suh, Moore, Donald Judd and Cornelia Parker. The one that stood out for me the most was Cornelia Parker. Her work is extraordinary and so unique, I've never seen anything like it. The way she captures movement in her sculptures is captivating. I wanted to create the same sort of captivation in my own model. Her sculptures to me also indicated a sense of an 'organised mess'. This idea was fascinating to me. Her work explores the transformation of durable materials. Her sculptures all have a hidden meaning and is usually materials collected from an outburst of violence or destruction like her piece 'Anti-mass'. She emphasises the power of creativity over violence and destruction.
To begin my model making I made a concept model. I focused on movement and flexibility like the characteristics of plastic. The waves created using tissue paper and gluing small sections together creates this sense of waves, linking back to the water resistant state of plastic. To make this model more successful I feel that there needs to be more structure to it to help give it more shape and form.
For my final model I used tissue paper and wire. The wire helped to give it structure that my concept model lacked. The tissue paper is light weight just like plastic and it is flexible and mouldable. My model is 500mm x 500mm x 500mm cubic volume at a real [1:1] scale. My model is abstract which expresses my insight into the materiality of plastic. My model worked well at pursuing the idea of movement and flexibility while still being durable. These are all main elements that plastic consist of.
